Firing on innocent protesters at Sterlite project, 10 dead. Who is to blame protesters or Police ?

Yesterday was the black day in the history of Tamil Nadu as the protesters who were observing decent protest at the Sterlite site have been provoked by the Police in mufti and started burning the vehicles and scooters parked there and thereby creating a commotion of lawlessness and firing ruthlessly with SLR which can shoot at the range of 900 meters and thus 10 people were killed and many injured and that brought instant wrath from the opposition and the TN police is now on receiving end from all.

The officials who are supposed take care of pollution problem and control the units which are not following the norms are keeping silent. The factory management which is supposed to take all necessary precautions to avoid pollution problem is keeping silent and going on doing their business. In 2013 when there was a gas leak from the factory the then state government order for the closure of the factory. But these orders were stopped by the National tribunal. Then the State government has approached Supreme court. The case is pending in the court.In this backdrop, the villagers who are worried about their health and other issues started agitating and they have gone to Collectorate to agitate. Here the police people have taken a high handed step and made 11 people die. I feel the total incident is the failure of law and order system in the place and the police are responsible for the death of these people. They might have used tear gas to disperse the people from the spot. This is a very offensive step taken by the police.drrao always confident

There is a huge nexus among the Politicians and the most corrupted industrialists. After being kicked out of so many States, Sterlite was set up near Tuticorin, and a huge amount changed hands with the Queen of corruption Jayalalitha, doing what she had always done -- some favor for money.

This plant has always had a hugely controversial record. The safety standards have always been lax, and whatever happens in terms of pollution, is something that has been widely reported in the press. There have been very harmful effects on health, and the company has always denied it.

Now that the opposition is so huge, the State Government should shut down this plant for ever. Or, with the help of an international safety agency, get the company and its operations, totally audited for safety standards and its effect on the environment. The Central Government should also step in, and close the unit till it is declared totally safe.

The issue was allowed to escalate to this level, only because of the useless Chief Minister and his atrocious Ministers, who are mostly illiterate morons. God save the State from this sort of atrocities.

Both violent protestors and untrained police are to be blamed. But the greater portion of the blame must go to the NGOs which are financing these destructive protests. If there is genuine pollution problem, people could have filed PIL. They didn't do it, instead indulged in violent protest instigating simple local people. This means that these NGOs don't want India to be technologically superior or industrially advanced.Beware! I question everything and everybody.

I am really perplexed by reading the reports and seeing the visuals in the TV channels.I have many doubts in my mind and feel that there are more things than what meets the eye and fed to the ears. The visuals did not show it as a proper protest with a leader or leadership. The visuals of shooting also makes us perplexed. Hope the judicial enquiry ordered now may bring out the truth and facts. It is always innocent families which have to bear the brunt ultimately either way.I feel sad in the loss of lives and my condolences to the bereaved family. Hope all concerned will take care to prevent such loss of lives at least in future.

People are fighting against it for the last 25 years.Dew people approach everything by keeping their favourite political party in mind.The protest went on 99 days and not even a single government authority met them. No violence reported in 99 days and how 100th day violence came? It is a well planned murder executed by police. Goverment killed people in favour of corporate who donates crores and crores to few political parties. The sad part is till now no condolence message from the head Central Government but he have time to twit for Kohli. if 10 cows were shot dead instead of humans then whole central government might have cried very quickly.

Google relationship with Vedanta and ruling political party and you will get to know who is behind this mass murder. I don't know the hidden secret behind the BJP people from TN to Delhi are very busy to portray police are innocent and give clean chit to Vedanta.Thanks,Suresh.

Sterlite is a rejected project in Maharashtra. It was rejected because of the agitation created by localities and their Government appointed a committee, which confirmed that the industry endangers their coastal environment.

Then it was commenced in Tamilnadu 1994, it violated the Governement rules of constructing the plant. As per the rule, the plant has to be constructed 25 kms away from Gulf of Mannar, but it was constructed in 14 kms from Gulf of Mannar. TNPCB issued the license with a warning, that the license would be revoked, if the operations of the factory contaminated the ground water. The license could be cancelled for its location itself, instead the TNPCB was giving warning.

ON May 1997, people around the factory location felt suffocation and many fainted because of a gas leak in Sterlite factory. From then, many cases were filed against Sterlite and High court ordered to shut the factory for many times. But all the time, the company was shut only for few days.

When the law was broken, people also lost their hopes and got down to roads to stand up for their lives. 99 days, they were on roads and on 100th day, they started walking to Collector office. People whoever involved in protest were doing everything legally for many years. 100th day was not an exception to their way of protest. Even if they were violent, none was killed by those 20,000 people. Then how come policemen can be given such right to take off the lives of people who do protest for their lives?Sri VetriSpread Positivism

People have already seen the drama of police against protesters in Jallikatu itself. We have seen the video evidence of policemen setting fire on public properties during Jallikattu protest. So, this is also of that kind. They could have tried this to disperse the crowd, but they did it to kill protesters. It was very clear that it is not just gun shoot, but target shooting was happened. So, it is a planned gun shot to kill the protesters who lead the protest.Sri VetriSpread Positivism

Thanks a million Srimathi Madam, for all the accurate information. All of what you have mentioned is now out in the social media as well.

Madam, as citizens of India, we all need to protest against this illegal company, that has managed to bribe all politicians and the TPCB officials. Now,after so much of protest, the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board says it will not allow the plant to operate, with water and electricity cut off.

Sill this continue, or is this a sheer political stunt, merely to cool down tempers and then open the plant once again, is something that is being talked about in Tamil Nadu. However, there is a danger that some ten lakh people will gather at Tuticorin, if the plant is allowed to operate.

Protests have now happened in Bangalore and in London. So, this is becoming an international issue.

Though the details are out in social media, I listed them out here, because, Partha sir mentioned, " people could have filed PIL, but they did not do so". Seeing that I was shocked that people who are used to Internet and social media also not completely aware of "Ban Sterlite protest" and how long people are protesting for their basic pollution free life.

Also, I simply hate the debate on who is to blame protesters or police? People should actually question, why Government let the protest for 100 days? It was not a strike for increase in salary. 25,000 people protest for their lives. So, how soon the Government officials should have responded to their appeal. As they said, people could have became violent too, but death penalty by the Police could never been a reaction.Sri VetriSpread Positivism

Exactly Srimathi. It is so sad that the stupid Government kept quiet for such a long time, wishing that people will tire out.

Now, the opposite will happen. If the plant is allowed to operate, even after Court intervention, it is very likely that some five lakh people will barge into the plant, creating a very huge problem of law and order. There is now some news leaking out that one former chief of police, known for his encounter records, was camping at Tutircorin. He might have done it, that is, taking the decision of shooting on the innocent protesters, it is now in the news. We do not know for sure, but anything could have happened.

It is the absolute truth that every single political party of Tamil Nadu, the Congress and the BJP, have all been bribed by the crook called Anil Aggrawal. So, the delicacy of the situation is there for all to see.

Going by what is reported in the papers, the people have already suffered from the effects of pollution related to the copper production at Sterilite, with the expansion news that triggered the protests.

What the Government should have done is be aware that the peaceful protests can be flammed by vested interests and disaster can strike anytime. The administration should have been better prepared. The blame would be on the administration and the Government.

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